Dental articulator



July 14, 1931. c. FRlTzl-:NWALLNER v 1,814,750

DENTAL ARTI CULATOR Filed May 2, 1928 ATTO/www.

Patented July 14, 1931 rior.;

CONRAD rarrznnwnrnivna, or CINCINNATI, OHIO DENTAL ART'ICU-LATOR Application filed May 2, 1928.

My invention relates to articulators used in fitting artificial teeth, bridges, crowns, etc., to the proper bite,-with the aid of plaster casts takenV from theA patients mouth ;y and F.A more especially to the simpler forms'of such apparatus directly performingsuch fitting, as distinguished from those involving cer-` tain amounts of mathematical calculation with reference to the anatomy of the face and jaws.

The object of my invention is to afford such a device which will be simple and reasonably inexpensive, as well as easy to understand and operate, permitting the work to be done more quickly than has been possible with articulators of this type as heretofore disclosed, and yet permit of the high degree of accuracy which the cases require. iith this object/in view, further objects .are to have device light, yet amply strong, easy to adjust, yetrigid in, every adjustment; and to avoid the necessity of setting the castsin plaster attachments to the articulator, as has been the usual practice, without reducing the accurac of fittin Other ob'ects will ap! y g l pear in the course of the following descrip-L tion. f

In the drawings: n

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the same;

Fig.v 5 is a detail plan view of the upper f arm' Fig. 6 is a section of the ball-and-socket joint, on' a vertical plane along the line 6 6 of Fig. 1; y

Fig. 7 is a detail planview of the upper slide. l

The base 1 comprises front-to-rear side members joined at their rear ends by the back bar 2, at their front ends by the front bar 3, and some distance forward from their rear Yends by the middle bar 4 which has a slot in its middle, vertically therethrough and lying transversely of the base. At respective rear corners postsr extend up, and midway lbe-y tween these posts a screw 6 extends up from the back bar 2. `The front bar 3 inclines upV Serial No. 274,506.

from the side members to hubs in which the yfront ends of guide bars 7 are fixed, these bars having their rear ends fixed in the middle bar 4, and the front bar 3 curves down inv its middle extent from one hub to the other to make room for the lower-j aw clamping and adjusting screw 8, the rear part of which is j ournaled in the middle bar 4 and has a nut 9 threaded on it in the slot of this bar 4, and a lock nut 10 threaded on it back of this Vbar 4; the front end of the screw 8 having a head 11 some distance forward from the front end of the base. rlhe lower rear jaw 12 has bearings embracing the guide bars 7, and has the' screw S threaded through it; this jaw 12 being forward of the middle bar 4. Forward of this jaw 12 is the carrier 13 for the front lower jaw 14; this carrierhaving bearings embracing the guide bars 7, andthe screw 8 having a journal bearing therein, with collars 15 at front and rear of the carrier. The lower front jaw 14 comprises a U-shaped bottom part, the middle of which has a pivot 16 connecting it to an ear 17 extending `upward and i then forward from thefcarrier 13, and upstanding grippers 18 fixed tothe front lends of the bottom part, with their inner or rear Vmiddles for passage of the screwy 6, on which are threaded nuts 25 and 26, one between these bars and the other above the upper one of them. j

The upper arm 27 is broad and flat, with a slot openingy out through. its side and front edges; its closed rear edge having at its middie 'a neck connecting it. with a ball 28.` Near its frontend, at its middle, this arm has a clamp screw 29 with a head 30 on itsupper end, having a hub on its under side bearing against aboss VAon the' top of the arm'2'.,y through which the screw 29 passes loosely to thread into the bottom part of the arm. To

sides corrugated,- as are also the front sides I treme lateral sides this upper member 32 has bosses 36 with conical sockets opening'laterally outwardly; the one at the hinge side receiving the conical end cfa' screw screwed in through the adjacent arm 24 of the ver ticahslide 19land havin'ffits head'SSlo'clinw against the outside of*y this arm, while the opposite' bossy 'recelves in'its socket the conical end ot a screw 39 threadedin through the opposite arm` 24j ofthe verticalV slide 19 and having'ahead 40so'me dista'nceout from this arm and receiving aY lock nut41 between this head and the arm, to be locke-dagairist the arm. The 'r'ont side ofv this` pair ofn sockets thus heldtogether andmounted has4 a-n aper ture 42 through which the neck extends torward' from the ball 278 Aheld in the socket members, considerably larger than" the neck, al-

lowingthe arm 27 to swing in any direction when'the members 31 and 32 are unclamped' from the ball28. The lower socket member- 31' has a'stop' lug 43 projectingdown fromV its fronti side just below the aperture 42',

adapted to engage with the uppercross barA 23ogt the vertical slideA andV thus limit downward swinging of thejrfront parts or"Y the socket members, with the screws 37and 39 Aaspivot's-or trunnions; an`d,'consequently, such swinging' of the arm when clamped'by these members as just described:

The upper: slide 44v comprises` the upper rea'rhat'part fitting in the' slot of the` upper; arm 27 andA having a slot 4'5 down through it wide and ldng'enough tov permity the slide to move considerable distances sidewise and endwisebe'fore engaging'the clamp screw 29 passing down. therethrough from the upper to the lower part ofthe 'arm 27, anda front downward extension 46,Y the lower parts of .which are inverted duplicates of the lower front jaw carrier 13, with lateral end bosses in .whichY are fixed the front ends of guide'barsV 47, and a middle journal bearingfor the upper jaw clai'np screw 4S having collars 49 at. front and rear of the extension 46 and being. threaded through the' upper rearjj aw 50, which isV an inverted duplicate otthe lower rearjaw 12, having bearings embracing' the guide bars 47 and having the front sides ot its downwardly projected prongs'corrugated. The ear 51 of the extension 4G, eX- tending.- downward" and then' forward, supports the upper front afw 52, which is an inverted duplicatect the lower front jaw 14,

having inits middle the pivot 53 connecting it to the ear 51, and having projecting down from its front ends the grippers 54 with their rear or inner sides corrugated. The front end of the upper jaw clamp screw 48 has a head 55.

Operationf-The lower plaster cast, or model, is clamped by the jaws 12 and 14, with its bottom resting on the ear 17 and adjacent bottom parts of the jaw 14, with the corrugations of the jaw 12 and grippers 18 cutting into the sides of' the model; this being eiiec-ted while the rear lock nut 10 is' loose, allowing the screw 8 to be turned to drawthe rear jawr 12 forward. In the same manner, the upper model is clamped by the jaws 50 and 52, withits top'up against the ear 51 andfa'djacent parts ott-hej aw 52, with the corrugations of the rear jaw 5'() and of the front grippers 54v cutting intothe* sides of the model; this being ehected by turning theA screw 48 todraw the rear jaw 50 forward. lit-either case, the collars '15" of the lower screw 8, or 49 ofthe -upperscrew 48-,1prevent end Yise motion'ot the' screw relative to the front aw 14 or 52, compelling the rear awy 12 or'5O to approach the rontja'w'.A

This clamping of the mode-ls Iis done withoutV especial attention to accuracy'of relation ofthe models to eachother', the only necessary precaution at this stage of the operation being to'see that* each model is rigidly held by thejaws, so' as not to slip during orv afterA the subsequentaccurate adjustments performed by the other parts-0f the device. This being. done, the models now may be'. brought" into correct relation as regards front to rear direction. The lowermodel may be movedl for-ward or rearward by means ofthe nut 9? held :trom front/-to-rea'r movement in' the slot of the'middle bar 4 of the base, and, when'turn'ed, moving the screw 8 and the jaws 12 and 14 and the model held thereby. Jany such adjustment thus made may be 1naintainedby locking the lockv nut 10 against the rear of the base bar 4. For-ward and rearward, aswell as'lateral', adjustment of' the upper modelis effected by sliding the slide 44 in the* slot of the-arm 27 while the clamp screw 29`is loosened", andlmay be maintained by tightening this screw. rlhe models mayl thus be broughtV into approximately correct ai'iterior-posterior relation, whether the patient have the upper teeth projecting for-V wa'rd of the lower', or even' with, orto the rear of the lower teeth; and the lateral adj ustment Vaccurate ai'iterior-posterior and lateral adjustment-s will be etlected". These'furtherA adjustments may be described as the anterior"- posterior and' lateralE inclinations of theupper model to the lower model; and the final accurate adjustment will involve a combination of these inclinations, in turn combined with the anterior-posterior and lateral adj ustinents horizontally, as well as adjustment of the upper model vertically to'or from the lower model as calledfor by the other adjustments, untilthe teethv of the two models nicely fit the bite obtained from the patient, as is well understood in the art. f

The mounting of' the upper arm 27 on the vertical slide 19 by the ball-and-socket joint permits the upper model, held on this arm, to be swung up or down, or tilted laterally; and vertical adjustment of the slide 19 by means of the nut compensates for any approach or recession of the upper model relative to the lower model incident yto such swinging or tilting. The ball-and-socket connection also permits sidewise swinging, which is a lateral adjustment which may be used in addition to or in conjunction with that afforded bythe slide 44 in the rarm 27; the latter also being available for angular adjustment of the uppractically per model in a transverse plane, or in conjunction with the same kind of adjustment permitted by the ball-and-socket connection.

After all necessary adjustments have been made, by any or all of the above means, they may be fixed by clamping the slide screw 29, the ball-and-socket screw 34, and the lock nut 26 of the vertical slide 19; as well as the lock nut 10 of the lower jaws. The models may be swung apart with the screws 37 and 39 as pivots, and when swung together again 1 their degree of approach will be maintained by the engagement of the stop lug 43 with the Vertical slide top bar 23; and this. pivotal mounting may be kept firm by the adjustment of the screw 39 inward and locking it with the nut 41, thus aording means for taking up the wear at these pivots. Removal of the models from the device requires only the loosening of the aws by reverse turning of the i screws 8 and 48.

It is readily seen that this simple clamping and unclamping of the models requires much less time than setting them in plaster on the articulator; but this" would not be the case in the absence of the universal adjustments provided, including the vertical adjustment together with the ball-and-socket pivoting, because too much care would be necessary to clamp the models with the required accuracy in the jaws, and in many cases would prove impossible. Rigidity of the parts, and of the clamping, is necessary for the required accuracy; and I have provided for this by careful location of the parts relatively to each other.

By pivoting the front jaws 14 and 52 on their carriers, for lateral swinging, I permit f these to adjust their grippers 18 and 54 automatically to the rounded front edges of the l plaster models the fiXed transversely straight rear jaws 12 and 50 having to contact with the usually concave rear edges of the models.

The heads 11 and 55 of the jaw clamping screws are placed at the front, where most easily accessible, yet below and above, respectively, the models which they clamp, and thus not obstructing access to these for observing the fitting and making the necessary alterations in course of fitting. The nuts 9 and 10 concerned in adjusting the lower model forward or backward are easily accessible when the device is tipped back, which is the customary position in which such devices are held while being worked upon. The nuts 25 and 26 for vertical adjustment are easily accessible at any position of' the device; and the ball-and-'socketclamp screw 34, placed forward from the trunnion arrangement at the screw 39, may be made amply large for the firm clamping of the ball-and-socket connection without interfering with or limiting the size of the trunnion arrangement; this also being true of the hinge connection, at the rear and opposite side, with respect to the opposite trunnion arrangement. These various provisions permit rigidity and strength without complication or undue weight; and lightness, for ease of handling, is an important 'HYA property of an articulator, which I have af- I forded althoughadding to the number of ad'- justments possible, and thereby to the ease of accurate operation. I have found that with my articulator from five to ten minutes time may be saved per case, in addition to the reduced liability to making inaccurate fittings owing to the ease of adjustments.

Modifications may occur, and while I have disclosed somewhat specifically aV preferred example of my invention, I do not wish to be ters Patent is:

1. In ardental articulator, a pair of jaws to clamp a model,a screw journaled in and held against axial movement relatively to oneV jawand threaded to the other jaw, a support onA which said jaws' are slidable in the direction of the axis of` said screw, a nut threaded on said screw, means on said support-preventing a-Xial movement of said nut, whereby said jaws and screw may be slid along said support by turning said nut, and means for holding another model for fitting to the model held vhysaid jaws. n

2. In a dental articulator, a pair of jaws, a slotted-arm, a slide in the slot of said arm and having one of said aws mounted thereon, a` screw journaled in and held against aXial movement in said slide, a guide element on said slide, parallel to said screw, the otherjaw being slidable on said guide element and said screw beingthreaded to said other jaw, and means for holding another model for fitting to the model held by said jaws. f

In -adental articulator, two pairs foil' jaws,-,each Atoclarnp awmodel, a ball supporting; one pairorjaws, a socket to holdsaidf,

ball, af slidein :wliicliq saidsocket is trun- "nioiied lat Aoppositesides osaid ball,- a-support `for the otherpair offjaws, and-linearl on-said support under saidball wherebythe pairs ofi jawsmay be adjusted rectilinearly to and. 'from each other.

ingmodels to be fitted te each other.

5. In a dental articulator, a support, post on said support,- a `slide guided between sL posts, a-screwy on saidsapport parallel w T'said posts, lnuts threaded on said screw inv clamping engagement with said slide, 'and means connectedfto said supportand said slide, respectively, for holding models to be iitted to eachf other,

6. In adental articulator, a base, parallel f guides along said base, a screw between. and parallel with said guides, a nut on said screw, means oir-said base preventing axial movement of said nutgarear guided on said guides and havingsaid screwthieaded thereto, a earrierin which? said screw is journaled and prevented from movementaxiallyrelativel7 thereto, afrontfjaw pivoted to swing laterally ony said carrier, posts on the rear oitv said base,` a :screw between and parallel 'with' said posts, on said base, a-'slide guidedbetween said posts, a nut threaded on said screw parallel with, saidguides, afrear avv-threaded to said'screw, acarrierinfwhiclr said screwfisf journaledwandy preventedxfromf axialv movement, andI fronty jaw,swinging, on. said;

carrier;

9.l In a Vdental articulator, ajbase, means to hold model on said base, Aposts on said base,

a screw between and parallelwith said posts,

on saidbase, a `slide-guided between. said posts, a nut threadedoni said screwV invengagement with. said: sli-de,` socket;I sections hinged together, one section being'trunnioned on said slide, meansfzfo'ri clamping said sections together,- air arm comprising, a ball clampedv between said .sections,. and meansto holdaa-.model on said arm.

l0. ln a. dental* articulator,= twomode-L f holdingeineaiisp oneicomprising an upward extension, and l'the otlierf comprising anarm movably connected to saidextensionandhavf ing agliori-.Zontally openinfgfslot," a slide in said 'slot adjustable universally inl a horizontal planepand meansfiior clamping-'said slide in saidslot.

CONRAD FRITZENWALLNER.'

in engagement with said slide, socket sections hingedtogether, one section beingy trunnionedvv 'loon-said slide, means forclamping said'sections together, anarrn-v comprising a ball clamped between said sections and having a laterally and forwardly opening slot, a slide in said slot, means for clampingfsaid slide in said slot, parallel guides alongsaid slide, a screw betweenand parallel with said guides, journaled in said slide and prevented from movementaxiallyrelatively thereto,vv a

rear jaw guidedon said/guides and having `said screw threaded thereto, and a ront'jaw pivoted -to swingA laterally on said lslide.

7. In a dental --articulator, a base, parallel guides along said base, a screw'betweenand parallel with said guides, a nut on said screw,

means on said base preventing axial movement of said nut, a rear jaw guided on said guidesand having saidscrew'threaded thereto, acarrier on which said screw-is journaled and preventedfrom movement axiallyrelaotively thereto, affront-jaw on said carrier to clamp a model'to said reariaw, and-means movably connected to said base to hold another. model.

8.- In a dental articulator, a base, parallelr fguides along said base, a screw betweenand 

